Natalie Woempner, M. Ed., CCC-SLP
CEO
Natalie Slade Woempner, M.Ed., CCC-SLP graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1992 and has spent the majority of her career as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, licensed to practice in NC with her Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech and Hearing Association. Natalie has worked at Cheshire Center for over 20 years taking on various roles including clinical documentation reviewer, clinical supervisor of graduate interns and clinical fellows, recruitment, Clinical Director and now CEO. Natalie has received the honor of being recognized by the NC Association of Supervisors in Speech Pathology and Audiology as supervisor of the year and has spent some time teaching undergraduates in the study of Speech-Language Pathology at UNCG. Natalie’s favorite role thus far is being a supervisor, teaching, leading and empowering other clinicians in our field to make a difference in the lives of children with communication needs. “It is so rewarding when a child makes tremendous gains in speech therapy. The parent is so happy when their child starts communicating; the therapist is so proud to have facilitated that “aha” moment and the joy on a child’s face when they have successfully communicated or expressed themselves for the first time. This is the reason I love my career and working at Cheshire Center has allowed me to follow my passion!”
Rebecca Eaton, M. S., CCC-SLP
Clinical Director
Rebecca Eaton, M. S., CCC-SLP obtained a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2006 and a master’s Degree in Communication Disorders in 2008 both from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Following graduation Rebecca began her career with the Cheshire Center where she has served children in a variety of settings and ages ranging from birth to school aged with multiple needs. Her special interests include clinical supervision, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) including high and low tech devices, and autism spectrum disorder. In addition, Rebecca has supervised Clinical Fellows, mentored other SLPs, and is currently the Clinical Director. “I have enjoyed all of my roles at Cheshire Center as each of them have allowed me to grow professionally as a clinician. While learning from experiences, peers, and other professionals, I am enabled to continue to impact the children and families we serve and stay true to the reason I chose this rewarding career path!”
Beth Presley, M.A., CCC-SLP
Recruitment and Retention Director & Wake County Mentor
Beth Presley, M.A., CCC-SLP, obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Education of the Deaf in 1987 and later earned her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2000 both from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Beth recently retired from NC’s public school system with 32 years of service. Beth has previously worked at Central NC School for the Deaf, Rowan-Salisbury Schools, Rockingham County Schools, Cheshire Center, and most recently, Wake County Public Schools. Beth has experience with birth to school age populations with multiple needs. Her special interests include mentoring, clinical supervision, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) including high and low tech devices, and phonological disorders. Beth has provided mentoring and supervision throughout her 30+ year career to graduate interns and new speech language pathologists. Beth currently serves as the recruitment and retention director at Cheshire Center. She also provides some evaluations and treatment services. “When I first began working with young children who were hearing impaired and deaf, it became apparent to me that communication was the key to education and life. I was inspired by the speech language pathologists in my various work settings, and in 1997, I returned to graduate school to obtain a Master’s degree in Communication and Science Disorders. Nothing has given me more satisfaction than empowering children to become better communicators and helping families to support their children’s communication. I have always loved my job, and even though I have retired from the public school setting, I am excited to continue to help children and their families in this clinical setting.”
Laura Michael, M. S., CCC-SLP
Clinical Supervisor, Bilingual Mentor & Alamance County Mentor
Laura Michael, M.S., CCC-SLP, earned Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Modern Foreign Languages from Presbyterian College in 2006 and a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Appalachian State University in 2011. She began her career with Cheshire Center in 2011 and has since enjoyed facilitating the speech, language, and communication journeys of children ranging in age from toddler to elementary. Laura’s particular areas of interest include articulation/phonology, early language, bilingualism/cultural competence, and supervision. She enjoys the challenges, diversity, and gratification that life as a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist holds. “I feel lucky to have landed on a career that melds my many interests into one role and allows me to learn and grow alongside my clients. It is a privilege and a joy to be entrusted with the task of opening up a new world of communication to children and their families and to join in celebration of successes big and small along the way.”
Kyndall Knight, M. A., CCC-SLP
Clinical Supervisor
Kyndall Knight M.A., CCC-SLP, earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Kyndall is licensed to practice through the NC Board of Examiners and is nationally certified through the American Speech and Hearing Association. She first began working as a student intern at Cheshire Center in 2016. After graduation, Kyndall began her career with Cheshire Center, providing speech-language services to children in a variety of settings and ages ranging from birth to school age. Her special interests include supervision, articulation and phonological disorders, and facilitating language and learning through play-based intervention. Kyndall is involved in recruitment by providing clinical interviews. She has experience supervising graduate student interns and Clinical Fellows. As one of the Clinical Supervisors of the practice, Kyndall provides support and mentorship to all of her fellow Cheshire Center SLPs. “I take pride and love mentoring and training fellow Speech-Language Pathologists and am fortunate to have a position at Cheshire Center that allows me to grow as a clinician while performing work that I am passionate about.”
Janice Swilley, M. S., CCC-SLP
Clinical Supervisor, Guilford/High Point County Mentor & AAC Team Leader
Janice Swilley, M.S., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor’s degree in 1996 and her Master’s degree in 1998 in Communication Sciences and Disorders from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She is nationally certified through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and licensed through the NC Board of Examiners. Janice spent the first 9 years of her career working for school districts in Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina. While a school based SLP, she served students with a variety of disabilities ranging in age from 3-21. She started working for the Cheshire Center in March 2007 where she provides services in homes, daycare settings and Head Start Centers in High Point. Janice provides clinical and procedural support to therapists in Guilford County, especially High Point and is part of Cheshire’s audit team. Janice is particularly interested in supervision serving as a clinical supervisor for graduate students and clinical fellows and providing support for new clinical supervisors. Areas of clinical interest include language development, neurodiversity and motor planning disorders. Janice also heads Cheshire’s AAC evaluation team which works to help families secure funding to obtain personal speech generating devices for their children.
Dr. Wayne Foster, PhD, CCC-SLP/A
Audiologist
Dr. Foster retired from the public schools of North Carolina where he served in a variety of capacities over the years: clinician, lead therapist, special education director, RtI director and grant/project director. He has been very active in the North Carolina Speech, Language and Hearing Association (NCSHLA) and the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association (ASHA). He is an ASHA Fellow and received Honors of the Association from NCSHLA. He currently serves on the ASHA Board of Ethics. His research interests are in early childhood language and literacy development. At the Cheshire Center he is the audiologist and research coordinator.
Cynthia “Cindy” Abbott, M. A., CCC-SLP
Caswell County Mentor
Cynthia “Cindy” Abbott, M.A., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Northern Michigan University. She has over 20 years of experience working with infants to adults who have communication and feeding issues.Cindy currently works in Caswell County, Guilford County, and Rockingham County. She serves as the SLP at an elementary and middle school in Caswell County and is the SLP for preschool referrals in that county. She also provides therapy to children at the RCS Head Start in Caswell County. Her first “love” in the field was working with children with hearing impairments and their families. Cindy serves as the Caswell county mentor and enjoys the opportunity that the Cheshire Center offers to work with children who have communication difficulties of varied ages.
Jessica Lane, M.Ed., CCC-SLP
Randolph County Mentor & Clinical Audit Team
Jessica Lane, M.Ed., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2013 and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from North Carolina Central University in 2015. She is nationally certified through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and licensed to practice through the NC Board of Examiners. She joined the Cheshire Center in 2015 as a clinical fellow and has worked at the Cheshire Center throughout her career as a speech-language pathologist. Jessica serves clients in the Randolph County area in homes, daycares, and preschools, with her caseload consisting primarily of toddlers, preschoolers, and early school age children. She is a member of the North Carolina Association of Supervisors in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and serves as a clinical fellowship supervisor for the Cheshire Center where she guides new clinicians as they enter the field. Jessica enjoys helping clinical fellows to apply what they have learned in a real world setting and to cultivate their clinical knowledge and confidence in their abilities. Jessica is also part of the clinical audit team at the Cheshire Center where she supports her fellow clinicians with their clinical documentation to ensure compliance with required standards. Her special interests include articulation and phonology, early language development, cultural competency and representation in speech language pathology, and clinical supervision. “I love being an SLP. Having the ability to communicate is crucial to being an active participant in life and I am passionate about helping my clients find and use their voice. I am so grateful to be a part of the Cheshire family and for the opportunities working here has provided me with in order to grow as a clinician in so many areas.”
Lindsay Gustin, M. A., CCC-SLP
Clinical Auditor
Lindsay Gustin, M.A., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor’s degree in 2006 and Master’s degree in 2008 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist that began her career with the Cheshire Center over 14 years ago. She enjoys her time working in Randolph County serving children in preschools, Head Starts, homes, and daycares. Her focus is children ages birth to five, with a primary focus on preschool age children in a collaborative preschool environment. Lindsay also serves as a clinical auditor for the Cheshire Center, where she supports fellow clinicians in their documentation to ensure that it meets all needed standards. “I love my job for many reasons, but the absolute best thing is getting to be a part of a child establishing or increasing their communication skills. Communication is such a fundamental component of life, and to be a part of helping to develop those skills in someone is so rewarding.”
Andrea Bowen, M. S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist & SLP-Assistant Clinical Supervisor
Andrea Bowen, M.S., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor’s in Communication Science in 1990 from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA and her Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology in 1992 from Nova University in Davie, FL. Prior to joining Cheshire Center in 2013, Andrea worked in a variety of pediatric settings across FL, NY, TX and CA. Andrea is licensed to practice in NC with her Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech and Hearing Association. Andrea specializes in the areas of receptive/expressive language disorders and phonology in the preschool population. She provides services to children in Greensboro. Andrea currently coordinates the Cheshire Center Speech Language Pathology-Assistant program mentoring both Licensed Speech Language Pathology-Assistants and student SLP-A candidates, as well as their supervisors. Andrea has special interests in “late talkers,” professional collaboration, clinical supervision and peer mentoring.
Emily Sharpe, M. A., CCC-SLP
Clinical Focus in Stuttering
Emily Sharpe, M.A., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor’s degree in 2006 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master’s degree in 2008 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has specialized in working with children and adults who stutter for ten years. In 2013, she was chosen to attend the Stuttering Foundation’s workshop Using Cognitive Approaches with People who Stutter. For six years, she facilitated the NC Triad chapter of the National Stuttering Association. Emily led a group of Guilford County School speech-language pathologists who partnered with the National Stuttering Association for four years to hold local Family Fun Day workshops for children who stutter and their families. She also enjoys sharing her expertise with other speech-language pathologists by presenting at both the local and state levels. “I am passionate about supporting people who stutter and their families. My approach is to not only work on strategies to manage stuttering, but to also look at the emotions that can surround stuttering. Our goal is to determine what being an effective communicator means to each person who stutters and how we can work together towards that goal.”
Renée Batts Hunter, M.A., CCC-SLP
Clinical Focus in Autism/Neurodiversity
Renée Batts Hunter, M.A., CCC-SLP has over 33 years experience as a Speech-Language Pathologist. She obtained both her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology/Audiology and Masters degree in Speech Pathology at UNC-Greensboro. Renée has provided speech-language therapy to children varying in age from 15 months through 18 years of age in a wide variety of settings, including public schools, Headstart centers, private clinics, developmental centers, daycares, and homes. Renée has served as a clinical supervisor of graduate interns and clinical fellows. She has therapy experience with articulation, language, AAC, stuttering, and resonance disorders. Renée has a special interest in autism and specializes in the use of a neurodiversity-affirming, trauma informed therapy approach. She is trained in natural language acquisition- gestalt language processing. Her other areas of specialization are Autism and neurodiversity-affirming therapy. She is a Certified Natural Language Acquisition trained clinician, a member of the Therapist Neurodiversity Collective, and LAMP trained. Renée recently retired from Guilford County Schools, where she worked at Northern Elementary School and also served as a Lead SLP for the district. She is very excited to have come full circle, back to Cheshire Center, as both a therapist and a mentor/consultant for autism/neurodiversity. “Communication is a basic human right. We all have a deep need for connection – to feel seen and heard. I am honored to be able to assist so many children and their families to make that connection. I am equally honored to be in a field that allows for learning in so many areas from neurology to anatomy to technology. Autism has always been an area of special interest of mine and is what initially drew me into the field of Speech Pathology. As a person with ADHD myself, I am passionate about affirming neurodiversity in all settings, especially in therapy, and being an ally for the autistic and neurodivergent community. When interacting with others who may differ from us in areas such as neurotype, race, gender, sexuality, or socio-economic status, we must be open to learn from their lived experiences.”
Natia Riley, M.A., CCC-SLP
Clinical Focus in Feeding and Swallowing
Natia Riley, M.A., CCC-SLP, obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2018 from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2020 from South Carolina State University. She joined the Cheshire Center team in January of 2021 and serves children primarily in the Burlington and Greensboro area in a variety of settings including homes, childcare centers, and schools. Natia is licensed to practice in the state of North Carolina and has her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Natia has special interests in the treatment of children with feeding and swallowing disorders, early language development, and representation in speech-language pathology. Natia supports the needs of clients and families through direct therapy and consultation. She recognizes signs of avoidant/restrictive food intake to compose interventions for improving the coordination and strength required to chew and swallow. Natia also provides mentoring for other Cheshire Center staff by recommending safe swallowing and feeding plans based on the child’s individual needs. “I love being an SLP. I am so happy to be a part of the Cheshire team where our primary goal is to support our families in the best way we can. Food is much more than just eating something that tastes good; it gives us vital nutrients to help recharge our bodies. I am blessed to be in the position to support families and the Cheshire staff by helping our children find ways to make eating an enjoyable experience.”
Shannon Tillman, M. A., CCC-SLP
AAC Team
Shannon Tillman, M.A., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has over 20 years of experience in the educational and medical settings. Shannon is nationally certified through the American Speech Language Hearing Association and she is licensed through the North Carolina Board of Examiners. She works both in Caswell County and Rockingham County, serving children in home and school settings, and has a variety of clinical interests including supervision of clinical fellows and SLP assistants. Additional interests include, low tech alternative/augmentative communication, as well as articulation and language delays. Shannon enjoys the possibilities offered by Cheshire Center to work with a variety of clients and their families. “I feel fortunate to work for a company that not only allows me the opportunity to provide speech services to children and families, but also to love, to guide and to encourage them.”
Megan Candelario, M.S., CCC-SLP
AAC Team
Megan Candelario, M.S., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Appalachian State University. She began working at Cheshire Center in 2016 with a range of ages from under 2 years old to 13 years of age. Megan has experience in working in homes, both regular and special education classrooms and daycare settings. Her experience also includes supervision in internships and clinical fellowships. She particularly enjoys providing coaching support to caregivers in early intervention and AAC. “I am especially passionate about improving the quality of life of children and their families through communication. I see communication as a basic human right and seek to bring awareness and education to the fact that people may communicate differently, but it does not make their message less worthy of our respect and understanding.”
Sade’ Wicker, M. A., CCC-SLP
Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist
Sade’ Wicker, M. A., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor’s degrees from North Carolina State University in Spanish Language and Literature and English in 2009 and a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2015 from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Sade’ has been a part of the Cheshire team throughout her career as a SLP and has served in Alamance, Guilford, and Rockingham County. She is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist through the North Carolina Board of Examiners and nationally certified through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Sade’ has served as a SLP mentor and a Clinical Fellow supervisor and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Supervisors in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Her clinical interests include bilingualism, language development, and supervision. “It gives me great joy to provide quality care for all the families I serve! My passion for languages and culture paired with my innate sense of wonder makes being a bilingual therapist a dream! There can be many myths and misconceptions surrounding bilingualism and language disorders, and facilitating greater understanding for my clients, families and other professionals has been a valuable and rewarding task!”
Susan Insco, M. S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Susan Insco, M.S., CCC-SLP is licensed through the NC Board of Examiners and nationally certified through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in 2004 and Master’s degree in 2006 in Communication Disorders from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Susan has been an employee of Cheshire Center for more than 10 years and spends her days working in a variety of settings including educational facilities and community and home-based sites in Orange and Alamance counties. She has served as clinical supervisor for graduate interns, SLP assistants, and clinical fellows. Susan is the go-to clinician for therapists in Alamance county providing procedural and clinical support. Susan enjoys working with toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary aged children with a variety of communication needs. Special interests include language development, augmentative communication and providing clinical supervision.
Dayna Burns, M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Dayna Burns, M.A., CCC-SLP obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and earned her Master’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dayna is licensed to practice through the NC Board of Examiners and is nationally certified through the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. She started her career as a therapist at Cheshire Center working with children of all ages in a variety of settings. Her special interests include early intervention, apraxia of speech and providing therapy services to clients who need or use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. She also has experience supervising graduate student interns at the Cheshire Center. “Seeing the joy and confidence in a child’s eyes when they communicate in a new way for the first time drives me to be an exceptional speech therapist.”
